By Lily Schneider
With a four-game win streak under its belt, the Susquehanna University Softball Team continued to dominate with a double-head sweep of Lycoming College. The River Hawks had a five-run first inning of the first game, securing their 10-4 victory. They won the second game 8-3.
Game 1: Susquehanna 10, Lycoming 4
Although the Warriors started the first inning with two hits and one run, the River Hawks topped that off with five runs. It all began with first-year Meredith Pavlik, who shot the seventh home run of her career over the fence to tie the game 1-1. That was not all the River Hawks had to offer, as they scored four more runs on five hits and a walk. This included RBI singles from Zoe Bork, Rosemarie Mirabella, and Nicole Wuertz.
Although Lycoming had single runs at the top of the second and third inning, Susquehanna continued to respond with more hits and an RBI from Morgan Henry. The fourth inning was scoreless, but Wuertz came to the plate swinging with her first home run at SU. Senior Ashley Warner had reached first base on an error, so the two runs scored totaled the River Hawk’s score to five runs.
The hitting streak went on from there. Warner contributed a two-RBI double in the bottom of the sixth inning. The River Hawks allowed one run at the top of the seventh inning, but they still secured the win. Hitting highlights included four RBIs from Wuertz, and two hits from Warner, Bork, Henry, and Mirabella, adding to the team’s 11 hits during the game.
Game 2: Susquehanna 8, Lycoming 3
The second game began like the first, with the Warriors having four hits and securing two runs in the top of the first inning. First-year starter pitcher, Brianna Jones, ended the top of that inning with two strikeouts while two runners were left on base. Susquehanna responded with four hits and three runs at the bottom of the first inning, Warner and Erin Bean with back-to-back doubles and RBIs. The first inning concluded with a score of 4-2.
The next scoring frenzy occurred in the third inning, with Lexi Palumbo leading the inning off with a double and Warner batting her in with an RBI single. Warner stole her way home on a wild pitch, the score 6-2 at the bottom of the third.
Jones held Lycoming’s offense while Susquehanna added to the score in the fourth inning. First-year Stevie Shaak launched a triple RBI to right field, Hannah Roland hitting her in at the next at-bat with an RBI single. Lily Hochhausler relived Jones, pitching for three innings while allowing only one run at the top of the seventh. The River Hawks’ lead was enough to win, with a final score of 8-3.
Susquehanna totaled an impressive 22 hits for the day led by Warner, Roland, and Bean. This brought the River Hawks’ record up to 19-12 overall. They travel to Juanita College in another doubleheader on Friday, April 21, and then face Dickinson College at home on Thursday, April 27.
